Rotherham

Rotherham's population grew in the decade to 2011. At the same time there were changes in housing tenure, marriage and health.

The population passed quarter of a million

Between the last two censuses, the population of Rotherham increased by 3.7%, from about 248,000 to 257,000.

The addition of just over 9,100 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Rotherham was home to, on average, 6.4 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was higher than the average across Yorkshire and The Humber

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across Yorkshire and The Humber, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Rotherham

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Rotherham increased by three years, from 38 to 41 years.

This industrial area had a higher average age than Yorkshire and The Humber and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 6,000 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 8,000.

About 12% of people in Rotherham are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, Yorkshire and The Humber and Rotherham by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Rotherham that rented privately increased from 5.6% to 11% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in five (22%) households lived in social housing, compared with 26% in 2001. The percentage of Rotherham households that owner their home increased from 65% to 65%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 9.1% in 2001 to 16% in 2011). Across England, the proportion increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Rotherham increased by 5.7 percentage points

Percentage of households in Rotherham, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Rotherham

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Rotherham, but at a slower rate than in nearby Sheffield.

In Rotherham, the proportion of single people increased from 26% in 2001 to 31% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in Sheffield increased from 34% to 41%.

Across Yorkshire and The Humber, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 29% to 34%.

The proportion of married people in Rotherham fell from 55% to 50%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 10% to 12%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across Yorkshire and The Humber

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that that said they were single across local authority areas in Yorkshire and The Humber and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Rotherham residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 12% to 7.6% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (77%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 64% in 2001. The percentage of Rotherham residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23% to 15%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 10% in 2001 to 6.0% in 2011). Across England, the proportion fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Rotherham decreased by 4.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Rotherham, Yorkshire and The Humber and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Rotherham, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.6% to 11% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29%) households had only a single person, compared with 27% in 2001. The percentage of households in Rotherham, which comprised a married couple (with or without children), decreased from 41% to 35%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Yorkshire and The Humber (from 8.7% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the proportion increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Rotherham increased by 2.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Rotherham, Yorkshire and The Humber and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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